The EU has proposed a new law to make batteries more sustainable and reusable that covers the entire battery life cycle from extraction to disposal.
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| File Photo: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra with USB-C cable and charger |
EU's next target?
After the implementation of the new law that makes USB-C the single standard charging port for mobile devices across various categories, the EU has just proposed a new regulation that should make batteries more sustainable and reusable.
EU proposed a new law on batteries aimed at making all battery types sold in Europe to be easier to remove and replace.
The provisional agreement to overhaul the EU's rules on batteries is aimed at making all battery types sold in the EU to be easier to remove and replace. In addition to this, it should provide consumers better information about the batteries they are purchasing through labels and QR codes that state their capacity, performance, durability, chemical composition, and a "separate collection" symbol.
The EU will also require manufacturers to develop and implement a new "due diligence" policy that addresses the social and environmental risks linked to sourcing, processing, and trading primary and secondary raw materials for batteries. The regulation states that the minimum levels of recycled materials required in producing new batteries are: 16 percent Cobalt, 85 percent Lead, 6 percent Lithium, and 6 percent Nickel.
A press release from the European Parlament reveals that the new regulation will apply to potable batteries, SLI Batteries (starting, lighting, or ignition of vehicles), light means of transport (LMT) batteries, electric vehicle (EV) batteries, and industrial batteries. Manufacturers will be given three and a half years after the legislation passes to design portable batteries in appliances that will allow users to "easily remove and replace them themselves."
The impact of this legislation on tech giants is expected to be massive as smartphones and tablets from Apple and Samsung come with non-removable batteries. This could force them to rethink their product design and bring back the removable covers on smartphones and laptops in the future.
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